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bacon_inside
n00b
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2005
- Messages
- 2
In an effort to stave off upgrading to an X2, I'm rebuilding my computer with attention to cooling and overclocking and would like some feedback on my plan. This is what I have for hardware:
InWin Q500N case
Abit A7N8X-Deluxe
XP 2600 w/ stock HSF
MSI Radeon 9800 XT
3x Corsair XMS sticks
5 hard drives (one of which is to be exchanged with a Raptor shortly)
DVD-RW
I also have the following fans at my disposal:
120mm Antec
92mm NMB
Two 80mm Pabst.
This is how things looked at the start:
My plan is to add two 92mm intake fans to the bottom front of the case. I've already cut out the fan grill from the front of the case near the speaker mount hoping to increase air flow. I've also drilled some holes in the plastic bezel since there was just a duct on the bottom. I'm now thinking I might cut the bezel and add a regular fan grill or some chrome mesh, like the front grill of a car. The first fan will be in the stock location (where the plastic mount is below the hard drive cage) but moved forward, to between the case and the front bezel. This is to accomadate adding a second hard drive cage below the first. The second 92mm fan will be just above this one, blowing into the original hard drive cage. I'm doing the second drive cage because I like to mount HD's with a gap between them, not stacked right on top of each other. I've never measured if this makes a difference, but it makes me feel better.
The Q500 has mountings for two 80mm exhaust fans, one near the CPU, one above the PSU. I don't think these are adequate and I'm not sure if I'll even put the Pabst fans back there. Instead, I'd like to mount one or two exhaust fans on the side panel. One would be low enough to vent the 9800, one would pull off the CPU. I can fit two 120mm fans there, which would be good for noise. I may also do a window. That would be later as I haven't researched it.
The stock HSF is getting replaced, probably with a Thermalright SP97 if I can find it, or an SI-97A. With a 92mm fan.
The fan on the MSI Radeon is fairly loud and sounds like it might be nearly EOL. I'll probably replace that with a Zalman cooler. I'd like to gain some overclocking capability here since the card is a 9800 Pro with an R360 (XT) core. It should have some room, but I get errors using ATI Tool with even a very modest OC.
I'm thinking of one top-mounted exhaust fan, probably 120 mm. I'll probably forgo this if I put both fans in the side. One 80 mm in the rear above the PSU should be enough, especially since there will probably be just a DVD-RW in the 5.25" bay up there. I'll save that for last, and run the case with the sides on, top off. If I feel heat building up in the attic I'll cut out another hole.
If that's not enough, I think I can mount up to a 92 mm fan horizontally on the chassis to suck air from the lower case into the upper attic. I'd have to mount it with only 3 screws and it would use about 3/4 of the space used for cables, but there's not much going through there, just the power cables, one IDE to the DVD, and the USB header connection for my front panel CF card reader.
I want to add a fanbus so I can throttle the fans during intense gaming or at night. The computer is in my bedroom. I've read reviews but I don't know anything else about these. I imagine I'll need some extra wire and connectors, atleast for the side fans.
I'd like to mount all the hard drives on rubber grommets but I don't know if that's possible without putting them all in 5.25" bays.
I'm also looking for good online retailers for fans, coolers, and other parts. I need mesh/grills for the fans, screws...I saw fan gaskets on SVC but I don't know if they're useful at all. I haven't chosen specific fans yet, but I've read the recommendations here & @SPCR.
Will this work?
InWin Q500N case
Abit A7N8X-Deluxe
XP 2600 w/ stock HSF
MSI Radeon 9800 XT
3x Corsair XMS sticks
5 hard drives (one of which is to be exchanged with a Raptor shortly)
DVD-RW
I also have the following fans at my disposal:
120mm Antec
92mm NMB
Two 80mm Pabst.
This is how things looked at the start:
My plan is to add two 92mm intake fans to the bottom front of the case. I've already cut out the fan grill from the front of the case near the speaker mount hoping to increase air flow. I've also drilled some holes in the plastic bezel since there was just a duct on the bottom. I'm now thinking I might cut the bezel and add a regular fan grill or some chrome mesh, like the front grill of a car. The first fan will be in the stock location (where the plastic mount is below the hard drive cage) but moved forward, to between the case and the front bezel. This is to accomadate adding a second hard drive cage below the first. The second 92mm fan will be just above this one, blowing into the original hard drive cage. I'm doing the second drive cage because I like to mount HD's with a gap between them, not stacked right on top of each other. I've never measured if this makes a difference, but it makes me feel better.
The Q500 has mountings for two 80mm exhaust fans, one near the CPU, one above the PSU. I don't think these are adequate and I'm not sure if I'll even put the Pabst fans back there. Instead, I'd like to mount one or two exhaust fans on the side panel. One would be low enough to vent the 9800, one would pull off the CPU. I can fit two 120mm fans there, which would be good for noise. I may also do a window. That would be later as I haven't researched it.
The stock HSF is getting replaced, probably with a Thermalright SP97 if I can find it, or an SI-97A. With a 92mm fan.
The fan on the MSI Radeon is fairly loud and sounds like it might be nearly EOL. I'll probably replace that with a Zalman cooler. I'd like to gain some overclocking capability here since the card is a 9800 Pro with an R360 (XT) core. It should have some room, but I get errors using ATI Tool with even a very modest OC.
I'm thinking of one top-mounted exhaust fan, probably 120 mm. I'll probably forgo this if I put both fans in the side. One 80 mm in the rear above the PSU should be enough, especially since there will probably be just a DVD-RW in the 5.25" bay up there. I'll save that for last, and run the case with the sides on, top off. If I feel heat building up in the attic I'll cut out another hole.
If that's not enough, I think I can mount up to a 92 mm fan horizontally on the chassis to suck air from the lower case into the upper attic. I'd have to mount it with only 3 screws and it would use about 3/4 of the space used for cables, but there's not much going through there, just the power cables, one IDE to the DVD, and the USB header connection for my front panel CF card reader.
I want to add a fanbus so I can throttle the fans during intense gaming or at night. The computer is in my bedroom. I've read reviews but I don't know anything else about these. I imagine I'll need some extra wire and connectors, atleast for the side fans.
I'd like to mount all the hard drives on rubber grommets but I don't know if that's possible without putting them all in 5.25" bays.
I'm also looking for good online retailers for fans, coolers, and other parts. I need mesh/grills for the fans, screws...I saw fan gaskets on SVC but I don't know if they're useful at all. I haven't chosen specific fans yet, but I've read the recommendations here & @SPCR.
Will this work?